Wild Rider (Dragon Castaway Book 1) [Complete] {2018 Wattys Longlist}

Chapter 12

Jake's eyes narrowed in on his target as he and Ragnarok swooped low into the valley. A large caribou herd was resting at the base of the mountain, still oblivious to his presence. Nocking an arrow, he reached out through the bond and gave the signal. Valkyrie shot over the peak and dove towards the herd at a shallow angle, plucking one into her claws before any of them realized what was going on. The caribou herd, panicked by the dragon's sudden appearance, began to stampede in all directions.

Jake took aim at one of the caribous that had been driven towards him and Ragnarok. As they began to turn to avoid the second dragon he let loose with his bow. His arrow hit home, striking solidly into his target's neck. The caribou staggered and Ragnarok grabbed it in his hind claws before it could fall.

Circling back, the black dragon dove onto the herd again, snatching a second caribou with his forelegs. It let out a guttural moan as the great dragon's claws sank into its heart, killing it instantly.

"That should be enough for today" Jake thought as the twins met and began to descend. "Time to count our loot"

Dismounting as Ragnarok touched down. Jake checked the kills and smiled in satisfaction. Four caribou now lay sprawled at his feet with their pelts mostly intact.

The twins crooned with a joy of their own at the success of another hunt.

Jake looked at the pair thoughtfully. Two dragons and the routines of surviving the wilderness certainly made one fail to notice the passage of time. It was so hard for him to comprehend that he had now been stuck in another world for a full two years.

"And they're bigger than ever" he thought with mix of pride and dread. The twins' growth had slowed over the last year but not by very much. Ragnarok was now easily twenty-seven feet long and twelve at the shoulder. Valkyrie wasn't far behind, while he didn't have a proper tape measure, his eyeball estimates put her at around twenty-five feet long and eleven at the shoulder.

He was abruptly snapped back to reality as he felt alarm surge at him through the link. Frantically following the twins' gaze, he spotted a large trail of smoke close to the ocean, steadily rising into the sky.

"What the hell is that? It's too big to be a normal bonfire, yet it doesn't look like a wildfire either." Jake thought as he weighed his options. Investigating would bring risk of being seen, but a wildfire could threaten his home and potentially force him to evacuate.

"Better make sure I'm not about to get burnt out of house and home" he decided.

Vaulting onto Valkyrie he braced himself as she threw herself into the air and sped towards the smoke, Ragnarok hot on her heels.

Coming in low through a valley, Jake spotted a clearing and landed a couple hills away from the smoke's source.

"I'll check this out, you two stay here in case it's just someone burning garbage" he said quietly.

Loosening the ties on his tomahawks Jake slung his bow over his back and moved quietly through the undergrowth.

As he approached the source of the smoke trail a rancid smell reached his nostrils. Stifling a cough, he held his nose as he creeped closer to the plumes.

Moving towards the edge of the trees he peered through a small opening in the bushes. His gut tightened in sheer disgust and horror as he took in the sight before him. It was a village, a fishing village judging by the small boats tied to the jetty. Its inhabitants had been slaughtered and the bodies were being burned by men in matching gambesons who he assumed to be soldiers. Jake felt intense hatred rise within him as he listened to the soldiers joke about the people they had slaughtered, mocking their pleas for mercy.